testing can help you · toxins hormonal shifts emotional stress poor diet, medications persistent...
TRANSCRIPT
10/2/2015
1
Test Don’t Guess: Neurotransmitters Uncovered
NPO Conference
Tamara Owen, RN, MS, PMHNP503.788.7726
October 8-10, 2015 at Sunriver, Oregon
Testing can help you:
• Provide rapid symptom relief, improving compliance
• Pinpoint the root cause of health issues for long-term positive outcomes
• Shorten the time to wellness
10/2/2015
2
www.tamaraowen.com503.788.7726
Understanding the role of neurotransmitters and key players
Inhibitory Neurotransmitters
• Serotonin: mood, appetite and sleep
• GABA: primary inhibitory neurotransmitter -necessary to feel calm and relaxed
• Glycine: like GABA, helps to calm and relax the body
• Taurine: important for proper heart function, healthy sleep and promoting calmness
10/2/2015
3
• Epinephrine (Adrenaline): important for motivation, energy and mental focus
• Norepinephrine (Noradrenaline): important for mental focus, emotional stability and endocrine function.
• Dopamine: responsible for feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, also muscle control, muscle function, and GI issues.
• Glutamate: primary excitatory neurotransmitter necessary for memory and learning.
• PEA (phenylethylamine): important for focus and concentration.
• Histamine: helps control sleep-wake cycle, plus energy and motivation.
Excitatory Neurotransmitters
Cortisol and DHEA
• Cortisol: primary glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal gland. Regulates body’s stress response.
• DHEA: produced by the adrenal glad and is a precursor to estrogens and androgens.
Why Test?Patients may present with the same complaint, but associated imbalances differ. (Anxiety Illustration)
10/2/2015
4
Treating a patient’s specific imbalances provides symptom relief, improving compliance.
(Fatigue illustration)
Results also provide insight into the root cause of symptoms, shortening the time to wellness
and reducing costs (Insomnia illustration)
10/2/2015
5
Physical Stress
Psychosocial Stress
Exposures to toxins
HormonalShifts
EmotionalStress
Poor diet,medications
Persistentimmune
activation
Addressing the root cause allows you to fully restore balance and health
Root Causes/ Contributors
Assessment and Testing
HPA axis and neurotransmitters
Inflammation/Oxidative Stress
Hormone andneurotransmitter
interactions
Toxins Genetics Lyme’s Disease
Stress -the primary contributor
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
10/2/2015
6
impacts adrenal output…but it isn’t just about DHEA and c
How can we effectively assess adrenal function?
10/2/2015
7
Stages of Adrenal Dysregulation
Normal Stress Response
Compensation Mechanism
10/2/2015
8
Biomarkers for Early Stage
Biomarkers for Early Stage
Biomarkers for Mid Stage
10/2/2015
9
Biomarkers for Mid Stage
Biomarkers for End Stage
Biomarkers for End Stage
10/2/2015
10
Case Review
49 year old male:
• Low energy
• No motivation
• Some anxiousness
• Levothyroxine 75mcg
Adrenal results
Neurotransmitter results
10/2/2015
11
Calming Neurotransmitters
Stimulating Neurotransmitters
Adrenal Results
10/2/2015
12
Patient Care Cycle
Identify Imbalances for Personalized Patient Care
Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, Dopamine, DOPAC, PEA, Glut5-HIAA 4-point cortisol
Inflammation/Oxidative Stress
The Source of Many Clinical Conditions
10/2/2015
13
Inflammation underlies many clinical conditions
Inflammation is the body’s response to an immune challenge
The nervous, endocrine, and immune systems are intricately interconnected.
10/2/2015
14
Inflammation affects other systems of the body and leads to clinical conditions
Inflammation contributes to neurotransmitter imbalances
Oxidative Stress is a byproduct of inflammation
10/2/2015
15
Consequences of inflammation and oxidative stress
Low grade inflammation leads to:
Case Review
23 year old male:
• Low energy
• No motivation
• Some mood issues
10/2/2015
16
Adrenal Results
Neurotransmitter Results: Inflammation
Calming Neurotransmitters
10/2/2015
17
Stimulating Neurotransmitters
Adrenal Results
Sex Hormone Interactions with Neurotransmitters
10/2/2015
18
Sex hormones and neurotransmitters impact each other
Estrogen and Serotonin
Estrogen/Serotonin Connection
10/2/2015
19
GABA and Progesterone
GABA/Progesterone relationship
Progesterone and monoamine oxidase
10/2/2015
20
Dopamine and testosterone
Dopamine/Testoterone Relationship
Therapy considerations
10/2/2015
21
Toxins and Heavy Metal Exposure on the Nervous, Immune and
Endocrine Systems
Symptoms of metal hypersensitivities
10/2/2015
22
Occupations and industries with high metal exposure
Sources of metal exposure:
Frequency of Metal Sensitivity
10/2/2015
23
Many patients are sensitive to more than one metal
Dental fillings (amalgams)
Medications can contain metals
10/2/2015
24
Smoking tobacco products
Jewelry
Cosmetics
10/2/2015
25
Cosmetics
Food
Occupational exposure
10/2/2015
26
Sources of metal exposure:
Comprehensive assessment yields the most data
Test:
• Neurotransmitters
• 4-point cortisol
• Sex hormones
www.tamaraowen.com503.788.7726